3D printed M3 LEE/GRANT running gear early

[Son of a gun-ner]

Thanks Dean.

That's it, you keep dangling that carrot in front of me. . . .

Heng Long is a good fitting method for me, I was just guessing a Mato fitting.

[dgsselkirk]

It's my job!

[jarndice]

Good afternoon, Max!
Sahara featured the Lee with the American style 37mm turret. The Grant was the excellent British adaptation with the bigger 37mm turret and additional stowage boxes. Both are amazing vehicles and really showed up at the right time when the Allies in Africa needed a big gun tank. With the Sherman M4 still in design, the Lee and the Grant filled a vital role.
regards,
Painless

With the introduction of the M4 Sherman into the African Campaign it allowed for the release of the M3 to Burma and just as against the Germans it was a war winner against the Japanese,
It surprised everyone with its reliability in the hot and wet conditions in which it served,
I think the best word for it is Versatile,
A Tank that too many people have forgotten but the British would not have been so successful in North Africa and Burma without it.

[c.rainford73]

Excellent work Dean

[Jarlath]

Regarding the design of the bogeys. (and yes I've seen the original pre-primed, pre-installed components).
They are a 2 piece design. They reuse the following components from the HL factory bogies.

• Swing arms
• Swing arm pins
• Return roller
• spring

Since they use the original swing arms, you can use the stock road wheels and axle hardware, but I think Dean's spoked wheels are nifty looking (I'm not a Sherman connoisseur).

They are a 2 piece assembly that are printed in different orientation (to prevent common shear planes from the printing) and are assembled prior to mounting on the hull.
You do need to shave down the HL hull mounting pegs however, and it is secured by a SHCS from inside and the bottom.

The question will be if they survive metal tracks and the added mass to the overall tank (and life time/durability).

[dgsselkirk]

Excellent work Dean

Not really my work per say, I just tell Mike (Jarlath) what I am after, how I need it to work, and then do assembly and testing...

[Son of a gun-ner]

One question, are these bogies going to have the fake volute springs moulded on their sides on the final print?

Ah, I think I'm going blind, I just looked again, I believe I can see them lurking in the shadows

[Jarlath]

One question, are these bogies going to have the fake volute springs moulded on their sides on the final print?

Ah, I think I'm going blind, I just looked again, I believe I can see them lurking in the shadows

Other than the cast cups for the springs, there are no additional spring details. They would be too flimsy for FDM printing and would likely break during assembly of the components.
The bogies themselves are made from ABS, hopefully Dean gets around to beating the hell out of them and we can examine for flaws and durability.

I'm working on his MATO Sherman innards right now for adding in my wiring clean up and internal arrangements. Dean is the artist for details and paint, I'm the builder for electrical and mechanical


The Switch Bridge for the MATO that will have power, smoker, and volume controls situated under the front hatches (which of course open).
Bridge itself can be glued, screwed, or use 5mm x 3mm magnets (qty 4) to hold in place.

[dgsselkirk]

I'm working on it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrUWnY4 ... e=youtu.be